On Sunday as I write this, we are experiencing our second snowfall. It's divinely lovely and peaceful, but maybe a bit too soon? I guess it always feels too soon, but with hope it won't last long. I still don't have winter tires on my car...
Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
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PICTURE BOOKS
Lala, a wild kind of child, has her own kind of magic. Unfortunately, her mother doesn't see or appreciate this in her.
Against a black and grey city, Lala emits a golden hue as she goes about her daily activities full of joy and energy. Lala spends time in her garden in an empty lot nurturing the plants there. I was struck by the profound contrast between the mother's words to Lala, and Lala's words to plants. Where Lala's words are full of kindness, her mother's are harsh.
When her mother, in an attempt to tame her, refuses to let her go outdoors, Lala's garden magically grows huge and comes in search of her.
As much as I appreciate this book, I was also a bit distressed that it took such a magnitude of magic for Lala's mother to finally accept her as she was.
Alas, there is no magic for other wild children like her.
Gracey Zhang was born in Canada, but now lives in the USA. I hope she is still a Canadian.
There is much to gush about here.
This charming tale tells of two Chinese girls who overcome obstacles to get to know one another and become friends. Both have come from the country and are now living in a city. Because they don't have residency permits for this area, they are unable to attend public school, and their parents can't afford to pay for school for them.
Rebecca Evans artwork, rendered in pencil and watercolour, is stunning. I love the bright colours of the two girls against a gloomy backdrop of blue greys.
While the story is set in China, the issues of bullying, loneliness and finding a friend are universal themes that children from around the world can relate to.
I appreciated the glossary and pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book that helped me figure out both how to pronounce the Chinese words and to understand them. However, because it is situated on the copyright page, I suspect it might end up being overlooked.
I also appreciated the author's note at the end of this book explaining more about the social situation in China.
This charming tale tells of two Chinese girls who overcome obstacles to get to know one another and become friends. Both have come from the country and are now living in a city. Because they don't have residency permits for this area, they are unable to attend public school, and their parents can't afford to pay for school for them.
Rebecca Evans artwork, rendered in pencil and watercolour, is stunning. I love the bright colours of the two girls against a gloomy backdrop of blue greys.
While the story is set in China, the issues of bullying, loneliness and finding a friend are universal themes that children from around the world can relate to.
I appreciated the glossary and pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book that helped me figure out both how to pronounce the Chinese words and to understand them. However, because it is situated on the copyright page, I suspect it might end up being overlooked.
I also appreciated the author's note at the end of this book explaining more about the social situation in China.
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| 5 stars |
Beautiful You, Beautiful Me by Tasha Spillett-Sumner & Salini Perera (Illustrator) October 18, 2022 🍁
This story of a "multiracial child navigating identity and belonging draws from author Tasha Spillett-Sumner's own experience growing up as an Afro-Indigenous girl." It is a gorgeous book with a refrain that will be especially poignant for multiracial children, yet has an important message for all of us.
"You're part of meand I'm part of you.
I'm beautiful like meand you're beautiful like you."
You can read my full review here.
I Hope by Monique Gray Smith & Gabrielle Grimard (Illustrator) September 13 2022 🍁
If you are not already a hard core Gabrielle Grimard fan by now, this book will certainly turn you into one. Her soft dreamy artwork makes this book feel like a blessing.
This dual language book in both English and Plains Cree, is about adults wishing wonderful things for their children. It showcases multicultural groups of children from different parts of the world.
This is a wonderful book to get for graduates, but will work for students of any age. I will be purchasing copies of this for my grandchildren.
NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
Bellen Woodward, in grade 6 at the time of this book, is responsible for Crayola coming out with Crayola Colours of the World Crayons: crayons that reflect the many different skin colours of children around the world.
Bellen began by just changing the language around the one crayon called flesh. Instead of handing it over when someone asked for the skin colour crayon, she replied, "Which one? Skin can be any number of beautiful crayons." Soon this way of looking at crayons and skin colour was reflected across her school.
This part of the story was clear to me, but what happened afterwards to influence Crayola is not. Still I appreciate the section that sets out, in general terms, how anyone can bring change into the world.
Bellen began by just changing the language around the one crayon called flesh. Instead of handing it over when someone asked for the skin colour crayon, she replied, "Which one? Skin can be any number of beautiful crayons." Soon this way of looking at crayons and skin colour was reflected across her school.
This part of the story was clear to me, but what happened afterwards to influence Crayola is not. Still I appreciate the section that sets out, in general terms, how anyone can bring change into the world.
NON FICTION GRAPHIC
This is a great introduction to crows. As an adult reader I’m not the target audience, but I was charmed by both the goofy dog and the clever crow.
I’m kind of fascinated by crows and have read adult nonfiction about them. This meant that much of the research wasn’t new to me. But the graphic format certainly helped consolidate my understanding.
I plan to purchase a copy for an adult friend who is crow crazy and collects all things crow.
NON FICTION
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| 5 stars |
The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth byWade Hudson et al August 11, 2020
This collection of writings by diverse authors is an important template for how to make the world a better place for all of us.
I listened to it once, but no sooner finished it than I started it again.
You will too if you haven't already been introduced to it.
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L Holm & Maxwell Glick (Narrator) January 5, 2021
MG NOVELS
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| 4 stars |
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L Holm & Maxwell Glick (Narrator) January 5, 2021
I am always happy to read/listen to anything by Jennifer L Holm.
Bell has been raised on Mars in the American compound. They live in Lava tubes underground. It's a small loving community. However, they are estranged from the other colonies living nearby.
When illness strikes the adults in their home, Bell and another boy end up heading off to ask them for help. A new reality is opened up to them. By the time the book is done, Bell has changed relationships between the communities for the better.
When illness strikes the adults in their home, Bell and another boy end up heading off to ask them for help. A new reality is opened up to them. By the time the book is done, Bell has changed relationships between the communities for the better.
YA & ADULT FICTION
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| 3 stars |
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Jennifer Kim (Narrator) & Julian Cihi (Narrator) July 5, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. I read reviews that lauded it. The premise sounded fascinating. It follows a pair of video game designers from their first meeting as children on into their 40s. As fascinated as I was by the game designing, I didn’t like any of these characters very much. Quite regularly I wanted to smack them across the head and tell them to grow up and get over themselves!
CURRENTLY
Butt Sandwich & Tree by Wesley King 🍁
No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen 🍁
A Green Velvet Secret by Vicki Grant 🍁
Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam 🍁
UP NEXT - MAYBE
Death in a Darkening Mist (Lane Winslow #2) by Iona Whishaw 🍁
The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3) by N.K. Jemisin
Narwhalicorn and Jelly (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #7) by Ben Clanton
2022 Big Book Summer Challenge 7Canada Reads shortlist 5/5
READING GOALS
#MustReadFiction 23/24 one in progress
#MustReadNonFiction 16/18
Canadian Authors 69/100 four in progress
Indigenous Authors 18/25
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 257/250